Kolkata, Sep 16: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s economic vision, which he described as “Modinomics”, has laid the foundation for India’s rapid economic growth, while asserting that the country is moving steadily on the path of development and good governance.
Addressing a press conference here, Singh said India’s growth story under Modi was driven by an ecosystem that enabled the country’s “brain power and manpower” to realise their full potential.
“Before 2014 also, India had both brainpower and manpower, but they were not working to their full potential. Modiji created an ecosystem where both brainpower and manpower can work to their full potential,” he said.
Singh said India is “well-regulated and well-governed” today and claimed that public money meant for the welfare and development of the poor was no longer being diverted into the pockets of middlemen.
He also highlighted the country’s growing defence exports, saying India is now exporting defence equipment to more than 100 countries.
Singh also praised West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, saying the work being done by him in the state was being appreciated and discussed in other parts of the country.
He expressed confidence that under Adhikari’s leadership, West Bengal would make a “significant contribution” to the goal of building a developed India.
Singh was in Kolkata to speak about the BJP’s month-long “Seva Se Sankalp” campaign, which is being organised from September 17 to October 17 to mark Modi’s birthday and his completion of 25 years as head of government.
Singh said the campaign was also significant in the context of Modi’s “spirit of service”, noting that while his designation, responsibilities and role had changed over the years, his commitment to “service before self” had remained unchanged.
“For the first time in the history of independent India, all six stanzas of Vande Mataram were sung from the Red Fort on Independence Day this year. This is also a mark of respect for West Bengal,” Singh said.
Singh said Modi’s 25-year journey in public office, which began with his becoming Gujarat chief minister and continued with his tenure as prime minister, had “influenced the nation’s politics”, given a new direction to India’s development and enhanced its global standing.
